Taman's Take: A wacky Saturday night in Canadian professional football

Saturday evening seemed to be playing out quite normally. The Ottawa Redblacks/Montreal Alouettes game was off to an interesting start. Shortly thereafter, BOOM!

And it wasn’t another Ottawa turnover, either.

What was Saskatchewan Roughriders director of media relations and football communications Ryan Pollock doing on a Saturday night — on a bye week, no less — sending out a press release, anyway?

The subject matter was that the Roughriders had released Duron Carter. OK, then …

This topic can be reviewed, evaluated and argued for days, as it has already been. It appears that during the bye week, an evaluation of the whole team was done and it was determined that Carter was no longer a fit.

His talent is beyond dispute. In TSN’s annual poll that ranks the league’s top 50 players at any position, he was eighth — a standing that aptly sums up his abilities.

Someone who is arguably the best receiver in the CFL was suddenly a free agent.

The magical questions: Why now? Who do the Riders have who is better?

And, what was the tipping point? Only Chris Jones knows, and the Roughriders’ head coach/GM isn’t saying.

Carter was a player who until Saturday night had survived two marijuana-possession charges, daily meetings with the coach, a fight last year in practice, and several undisciplined penalties‎. Even while recognizing that there were issues, the Roughriders signed him to a new contract in the off-season.

But enough was enough, it appears.

Any team playing against Saskatchewan always had to game plan to be aware of Carter on offence. He was a force. Yes, he carried baggage, but did he help them win?

That’s the question that was always answered with a “yes.” But is he still a Roughrider? No.

Heavy scrutiny follows any decision of magnitude made by a coach or GM. None of the issues that Carter had would surprise the Roughriders’ management, which had tolerated the situation for nearly a season and a half.

So now what?

Caleb Holley gets his starting receiver’s job back, and Carter’s No. 89 is open for anyone to wear.

Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely that refunds at the Rider store are forthcoming for anyone who bought a No. 89 jersey.

A fan favourite, he was. A coach’s favourite, he wasn’t.

Now, another name for the alumni board. (Do former general managers count?)

Also on Saturday night, another high-end talent — Alouettes cornerback Tommie Campbell — did not suit up for the game in Ottawa.

He was a late game-day scratch, which seemed reasonable to digest at the time.

Then, after the game, the talented Montreal Gazette writer Herb Zurkowsky unearthed this gem: Campbell was scratched for Improper use of his chinstrap during practice, according to a source.

Excuse me?

As a GM, this would drive you nuts. Surely, there must be more to this.

It was all part of a Saturday night for the ages in the CFL.

These player-personnel decisions will play out like all the rest usually do and will be ultimately judged by a simple formula — wins and losses.

If a chinstrap did cost Campbell his roster spot, how does the prospect of Carter returning to Montreal possibly make any sense?

Well, it doesn’t, which makes it entirely possible that it will happen.

Welcome to the world of pro football.

• • •

And welcome to the weekly predictions, which are severely marred by Rob Vanstone’s input. Things were much better when his dog used to make the predictions.

OTTAWA at WINNIPEG (Friday, 6:30 p.m.)

Taman: East-West game. The edge usually goes to the West. Bombers by three.

Vanstone: Winnipeg finally has a defence. Bombers by eight.

B.C. at TORONTO (Saturday, 2 p.m.)

Taman: In sticking with my previous comment, and being consistent, the edge usually goes to the East. Argos by three.

Vanstone: All 63 Argonauts fans will be disappointed. Lions by four.

MONTREAL at EDMONTON (Saturday, 7 p.m.)

Taman: Will Johnny Manziel do up his chinstrap correctly? Eskimos by 10.

Vanstone: Not even Jason Maas can blow this one. My dog could make this call. Oscar, we miss thee. Eskimos by 27. Woof.

Taman: Toronto Argonauts tailback James Wilder Jr. will have his best game of the year — solid production in an upset win.

Vanstone: The B.C. Lions’ Bryan Burnham is coming off a one-catch, 20-yard performance. Too low. The pendulum must swing — especially against an Argonauts team that is allowing nearly 300 passing yards per game. Watch Burnham burn ’em. (My original choice was Carter, so take the alternate selection for what it’s worth.)

Review of Week 9 fantasy picks: We picked the quarterbacks who opposed one another Thursday — the Lions’ Travis Lulay (Rob) and the Eskimos’ Mike Reilly (me). I predicted Reilly would put up “big numbers,” and he ended up throwing for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Lulay countered with 239 yards and one TD. Yes, Lulay was the winning quarterback, but I’m the winner here because Reilly was the superior fantasy pick. And his chinstrap game was on point.

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